Human Anatomy and Physiology

The Respiratory System

Basic functions of the respiratory system:

Gas exchange – supply oxygen to aerobic tissues in the

body and remove carbon dioxide
as a waste product.

-Pulmonary ventilation - the physics of getting air

in- to and out- of the lungs
(ventilation).
-External respiration - gas exchange between the lungs
and blood (oxygen loading and
CO2 unloading).
-Transport of respiratory gases - movement of
blood (thus gases) from the lungs to
the cell and tissues.
-Internal respiration – gas exchange between the
capillaries and the tissues (oxygen
unloading and CO2 loading).
 Human Anatomy and Physiology
The Respiratory System
Functional anatomy of
the respiratory
system:
Conducting Zone
Rigid conduits for air
to reach site of gas
exchange
-nose
-nasal cavity
-pharynx
-larynx
-trachea
-bronchi
-Respiratory Zone
site of gas exchange
-respiratory
bronchioles
-alveolar ducts
 Human Anatomy and Physiology
The conducting zone
Conducting Zone:

Nose
-airway
-moistens and warms air
-filters inspired air
-resonating chamber for
speech
-olfaction

-paranasal sinuses
-frontal, sphenoid,
ethmoid and maxillary
bones
-warm and moisten air
 Human Anatomy and Physiology
The conducting zone
Conducting Zone:

Pharynx
-connects the nasal
cavity and mouth to the
larynx and esophagus

-common pathway for

food and air (throat)

-nasopharynx
-oropharynx
-laryngopharynx
 Human Anatomy and Physiology
The conducting zone
Conducting Zone:

Laryngopharynx – common passage way for food and air

Larynx – voice box
 Human Anatomy and Physiology
The conducting zone
Conducting Zone:

Trachea
-windpipe
-larynx at division forming
two primary bronchi at
midthorax

-mucosa – pseudostratified
epithelium (goblet cells)

-submucosa – connective tissue

seromucous glands – mucous

-advantitia – CT hyaline cartilage

 Human Anatomy and Physiology
The conducting zone
Conducting Zone:

Bronchi
Bronchial tree
-left and right primary bronchi
-formed by divisions of the
trachea
-secondary bronchi (lobar)
-inside the lungs
-3 on the right
-2 on the left
-tertiary bronchi (segmental)
-fourth-order
-fifth-order
-23 orders of branching air ways
-bronchioles (under 1 mm in
diameter
 Human Anatomy and Physiology
The conducting zone
Conducting Zone:

Bronchioles
-bronchioles (under 1 mm in diameter)
-terminal bronchioiles (less than 0.5 mm)
 Human Anatomy and Physiology
The conducting zone
Conducting Zone:

Cartilage:
-rings
-irregular plates
-no cartilage in bronchioles
-replaced by elastic fibers

Epithelium:
-pseudostratified (ciliated)
-columnar (ciliated)
-cuboidal in terminal bronchioles (no cilia)

Smooth Muscle:
-increases as tubes get smaller
 Human Anatomy and Physiology
The respiratory zone
Respiratory Zone:
Respiratory bronchioiles
Alveoli (300 million)
Alveolar ducts
Alveolar sacs

Gas Exchange:
respiratory membrane
 Human Anatomy and Physiology
The respiratory zone
Respiratory Zone:
Respiratory membrane (air-blood barrier) or
(Alveolar-capillary membrane) is composed of:
-simple squamous epithelial cells (Type I cells)
-cobweb of pulmonary capillaries

Primary function is gas exchange

-Type II cells (cuboidal)

surfactant

-elastic fibers
-alveolar pores allow for
pressure equalization
between alveoli
-alveolar macrophages
(dust cells)
 Human Anatomy and Physiology
Lungs and Pleural Coverings
Pleural Coverings:
-double layered serosa
-parietal pleura lines the thoracic wall
-pulmonary or visceral pleura which covers the
lung surface
-pleural cavity is the space between
the two layers
-pleural fluid fills the cavity
 Human Anatomy and Physiology
Blood Supply and Innervation of the Lungs
Blood supply:
-Pulmonary circulation
-Bronchial circulation

Pulmonary arteries from the right side of the heart supply blood to the lungs.
-pulmonary arteries branch profusely along with the bronchi
-pulmonary capillary networks surrounding alveoli

-pulmonary veins form post alveoli to carry oxygenated blood back to

the heart

Bronchial arteries come from the aorta and enter the lung at the hilus
-the bronchial arteries run along the branching bronchi and supply
lung tissue except the alveoli
-bronchial veins drain the bronchi but most moves into the pulmonary
circulation
 Human Anatomy and Physiology
Blood Supply and Innervation of the Lungs
Innervation:
-parasympathetic motor fibers (some sympathetic fibers)
-visceral sensory fibers

Enter the lung through the pulmonary plexus on the lung root

parasympathetic fibers – constrict the air tubes

sympathetic fibers – dilate air tubes
 Human Anatomy and Physiology
Respiratory Mechanics
Breathing:
Simply pressure changes driven by diaphragm and external intercostal muscle
contractions
 Human Anatomy and Physiology
Respiratory Mechanics
Breathing:

yellow is the increase in volume during inspiration

-

Volume during
Inspiration

Lungs Volume
At rest
 Human Anatomy and Physiology
Respiratory Mechanics
Breathing:
Increased volume causes a drop in pressure if the system is closed.
Where is the system closed to the outside?

Lungs

Boyle’s law – P1V1 = P2V2

 Human Anatomy and Physiology
Respiratory Mechanics
Breathing:
Increased volume causes a drop in pressure if the system is closed.
Where is the system closed to the outside? The pleural cavity!

Lungs

The decrease in intrapleural cavity pressure is translated to the lungs via the
inner visceral pleural membrane because it is attached to the outer surface of
the lung
Thus, an increase in volume causes a decrease in intrapleural pressure
because it is a closed system.
 Human Anatomy and Physiology
Respiratory Mechanics
Breathing:
The lungs are an open system via the trachea and as such as intrapleural
pressure drops lung volume increases and lung pressure also decreases.
However, because the lungs are open to the outside, air rushes into the lungs
to equalize the pressure. Thus, the drop in pulmonary pressure is transient.

Lungs
trachea

Pulmonary pressure returns to zero as air moves into the lungs to take up the
volume change (drop in pressure).
Human Anatomy and Physiology
Respiratory Mechanics
 Human Anatomy and Physiology
Respiratory Mechanics
Breathing:

Airway Resistance-

-friction or drag along the

respiratory passageway

P
Flow =
R

-maximum resistance in medium

size bronchi then drops as
cross sectional area increases

-bronchiole smooth muscle very

sensitive to parasym stimulation
 Human Anatomy and Physiology
Respiratory Mechanics
Lung volumes
dead space – -volume of air filling the conducting zone and never
contributes to gas exchange (anatomical dead space 150
ml).
-if some of the alveoli collapse or are obstructed (alveolar
dead space). Total dead space = AnaDS + AlvDS
 Human Anatomy and Physiology
Respiratory Mechanics
Breathing:
-
 Human Anatomy and Physiology
Gas Exchange
Gas exchange:
-